Heisman Trophy 2017: Ranking the Top 10 Candidates Ahead of Week 14
Baker Mayfield wrapped up the regular season with a convincing win over West Virginia, and he probably locked up the Heisman Trophy at the same time.
The Oklahoma quarterback holds a considerable lead on the field entering Week 14, especially since Louisville's Lamar Jackson is done putting up pre-ceremony numbers.
But the back end of the Heisman watch list has undergone several changes. Jalen Hurts tumbled out of the rankings following Alabama's loss in the Iron Bowl, while Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson climbed to the top of the third tier.
Six of the ranking's 10 players will be in action during championship week, giving them one final opportunity to secure votes. While any performance almost certainly won't be enough to catch Mayfield, a higher finish in the final Heisman results is a decent prize.
10. J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State
1 of 10
By the numbers
J.T. Barrett dropped a couple of spots following his quiet, injury-shortened day at Michigan. He finished shy of 100 offensive yards before exiting due to a right knee injury in the third quarter. Barrett has 2,728 yards and 33 touchdowns through the air with 672 yards and nine scores as a runner for 10-2 Ohio State.
Signature moment
In Week 9 opposite Penn State, Barrett helped the Buckeyes recover from an 18-point deficit to win 39-38. The senior tossed three of his four touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Barrett ended the victory with 33 completions in 39 attempts, posting an Ohio State record of 423 total offensive yards.
Week 14 prediction
Regardless of how healthy Barrett truly is, Wisconsin presents a major challenge. He's probable for the Big Ten Championship Game, according to Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer, so we expect Barrett to play. But it wouldn't be surprising if the Badgers held him below 200 yards.
9. Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State
2 of 10
By the numbers
Voters love power-conference quarterbacks, and they love big numbers. Mason Rudolph guided Oklahoma State to a 9-3 record and leads the country in one notable category. He finished the regular season with an FBS-best 4,553 yards, which only Mayfield (4,097) could surpass in Week 14. Rudolph collected 45 total touchdowns.
Signature moment
Rudolph engineered a 14-point comeback on the road against Iowa State in Week 11. He tossed a pair of touchdowns—including the game-winning score—during the final six minutes of the fourth quarter. Rudolph threw for 376 yards in the 49-42 win.
Week 14 prediction
Oklahoma State fell short of reaching the Big 12 Championship Game. Nevertheless, Rudolph's overall production will translate to Heisman votes.
8. Rashaad Penny, RB, San Diego State
3 of 10
By the numbers
Thanks to his fourth consecutive 200-yard day, Rashaad Penny is now narrowly leading the country in rushing yards per game at 168.9. According to Sports-Reference, he's notched the 29th 2,000-yard season since 1956. Penny has scored in four different ways and crossed the goal line 24 times.
Signature moment
Smashing Arizona State for 353 all-purpose yards and posting 175 rushing yards against Stanford merit attention. However, the four straight 200-yard explosions—and five on the season—should hold up for several voters.
Week 14 prediction
San Diego State ended the regular season at 10-2, missing the Mountain West Championship Game. Penny, who has 2,027 rushing yards, will attempt to break Donnel Pumphrey's school record of 2,133 when bowl season rolls around.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
7. McKenzie Milton, QB, UCF
4 of 10
By the numbers
Entering championship week, McKenzie Milton is one of 10 quarterbacks in the nation averaging 300 yards per game. He ranks second in completion percentage (69.1), yards per attempt (10.3) and rating (182.9). Milton has amassed 3,730 yards of total offense and 36 touchdowns while propelling UCF to 11-0.
Signature moment
Milton put together his best performance of the regular season when it mattered most. With a spot in the AAC Championship Game at stake, he accounted for 429 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-42 triumph over South Florida.
Week 14 prediction
Earlier this season, the sophomore tallied 341 yards and three scores in a 40-13 drubbing of Memphis. It's fair to expect a more competitive game between the schools, so Milton will top 400 total yards in a high-scoring affair.
6. Kerryon Johnson, RB, Auburn
5 of 10
By the numbers
Ranked ninth nationally in rushing yards per game, Kerryon Johnson has become the Heisman's breakout November player. He's accumulated 1,276 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground while occupying a pivotal role for 10-2 Auburn, which is one victory away from the College Football Playoff.
Signature moment
To be clear, Johnson isn't going to win the trophy. But with a combined 358 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in victories over then-No. 1 Georgia and then-No. 1 Alabama, the junior has demanded a place on the voting list.
Week 14 prediction
The powerful runner exited the triumph over Alabama due to a shoulder injury. Johnson told reporters Monday he's working back to "as healthy as I can be." That doesn't sound great. The combination of a stout Georgia defense that will be looking to redeem itself and Johnson's shoulder is discouraging, and a hard-fought 75 yards seems realistic unless he's truly healthy.
5. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Wisconsin
6 of 10
By the numbers
Jonathan Taylor is one of three running backs in the country averaging at least 150 yards per appearance. The freshman has gathered 1,806 yards and 13 touchdowns during his debut campaign for Wisconsin, which is 12-0 on the year.
Signature moment
Since the Badgers have basically rolled every opponent this season, Taylor is still missing the Heisman-caliber moment in comparison to Mayfield. But with a noteworthy performance in a Big Ten championship win over Ohio State, Taylor could leap the next two players on the list.
Week 14 prediction
During conference games, the Buckeyes boasted the third-best run defense in the FBS. Taylor should approach 100 yards thanks to one explosive run and a large volume of attempts, but Ohio State is likely to hold him below five yards per carry. That has only happened once this season.
4. Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State
7 of 10
By the numbers
Penn State fell short of its championship aspirations, but Saquon Barkley positioned himself to earn a nod as a Heisman finalist. The junior notched 1,134 yards and 16 touchdowns as a runner, caught 47 passes for 594 yards and three scores, returned two kickoffs to the house and even tossed a touchdown.
Signature moment
Barkley obliterated Iowa for a career-best 358 all-purpose yards to help Penn State survive a trip to Kinnick Stadium in September. Later in the season, the versatile back posted 176 yards and three touchdowns in a victory over Michigan, which had one of the nation's stingiest defenses.
Week 14 prediction
The Nittany Lions fell to Ohio State and Michigan State, so they'll be watching the Big Ten Championship Game from home. Barkley—a top NFL draft prospect—told reporters he plans to participate in Penn State's bowl game.
3. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
8 of 10
By the numbers
In 11 appearances, Bryce Love has eclipsed the century mark 10 times. The speedy junior has posted an even 168 yards per game while scoring 16 touchdowns, and his 8.6-yard average ranks third among players averaging 10 carries per game.
Signature moment
Thanks to Washington's victory over Washington State, Stanford will play in the Pac-12 Championship Game. And that's because Love scampered for 166 yards and three scores to steer the Cardinal past Washington in Week 11 and secure the tiebreaker.
Week 14 prediction
Love gathered 160 yards in a loss to USC earlier this season. Though the Trojans have mostly contained the running game since then, they're still vulnerable to an elite talent like Love. He'll register 150-plus yards while Stanford tries to spring the upset.
2. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
9 of 10
By the numbers
If Louisville had a 10-2 record, we'd be discussing a razor-thin margin between Baker Mayfield and Lamar Jackson. The reigning Heisman winner has basically replicated his stats with more efficiency in 2017, completing 60.4 percent of his passes for 3,489 yards, 25 touchdowns and only six interceptions. Jackson also has 1,443 rushing yards with 17 more scores.
Signature moment
Good luck finding a poor performance from Jackson this year. The absence of a marquee victory is what will likely prevent him from hoisting the trophy again, but Jackson tallied no fewer than 333 yards of total offense in any game.
Week 14 prediction
Clemson will represent the Atlantic Division in the ACC Championship Game, so Jackson's next appearance will happen in bowl season. He "absolutely" intends to play rather than skip for NFL draft purposes, per Jake Lourim of the Courier-Journal.
1. Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
10 of 10
By the numbers
Baker Mayfield is pacing the FBS with a 71.4 completion percentage, 11.8 yards per attempt and 203.25 rating. He's No. 2 nationally in yards per game (341.4) and touchdowns (37) and has only thrown five interceptions. He's also contributed 245 yards and five trips to the end zone as a runner for 11-1 Oklahoma.
Signature moment
Although an unnecessary gesture at Kansas may remove Mayfield from the top of some ballots, his weekly excellence is expected to prevail. The senior's best performance happened in Week 10 when Mayfield posted 598 passing yards with six total touchdowns during a 62-52 win over rival Oklahoma State.
Week 14 prediction
Whether the Sooners can defeat TCU for the second time in four weeks is largely contingent on the defense. The unit shined in Week 11 but might not be as successful in the Big 12 Championship Game. Mayfield should hit 350 yards of total offense in an entertaining, one-possession finish.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
